


Did I come up with a title? absolutely not. am I a professional? debatable. [title tbd]

by mildsoap



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Drinking, Eventual Smut, F/M, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, Smoking, Smut, Swearing, eerie moods, i'm super sorry, like a lot of swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:34:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28475490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mildsoap/pseuds/mildsoap
Summary: Player: "Lauren", has entered the game.Having needed to escape from the clutches of the city, Lauren finds herself on her grandfather's old farm located just outside of Pelican Town, a quaint village hidden away deep within Stardew Valley. At first glance, the town appears as normal as any other she'd seen on her way in– however, as she settles into her new home and becomes friends with the townsfolk, she realizes that this town has more to offer than she bargained for. With mythical spirit-like creatures, monsters that lurk in the dark, small town gossip and drama, and a curious furry companion at her side, Lauren must decide her fate within Pelican Town and whether she's willing to overcome the challenges that stand in the way of her future.
Relationships: Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 20





	1. Welcome to the Valley

**Author's Note:**

> Hey look, I'm writing for a game that isn't final fantasy xv wowie look at me. Welcome to my Stardew Valley fic! I hope you're ready to meet Lauren and either replace her with yourself or your own characters, or just enjoy the ride that Lauren wants to show you.

The shop was quiet near closing time, the townsfolk of Pelican Town residing in their homes or the local watering hole. Lauren relished the peace she'd found here away from her new property. Skimming the aisle before her, she sighed. The move hadn't gone exactly as she had wanter, something she could easily brush off and forget. It wasn't the _move_ that was the problem; it was the state of the property. When the mayor had finally reached out to her so they could make arrangements, he'd neglected to inform her just how bad the property's condition _was_.

 _You'll manage just fine here in Pelican Town, Lauren_ , Lewis' voice echoed in her head.

 _Sure_ , she scoffed, twisting to look at the other shelves. _If you think wading through a decade's worth of weeds is 'managing'._

Another sigh left her and her feet carried her down the length of the aisle. At least here in the small store there wasn't foliage growing through the cracks in the floor. Nor was there a mess of boxes left to be unpacked in a less than ideal amount of room. _How_ had her grandfather lived in such a small space? There wasn't even a proper kitchen.

Shaking the questions she had out of her head, Lauren allowed herself to browse the shelves on the next aisle. Her shopping list was simple– something she could eat and _anything_ to help her fall asleep. The first night alone in that cabin would be miserable, otherwise.

Taking several minutes to examine the different bottles of wine on display, Lauren gingerly lifted a rather expensive bottle to read the label. It sounded perfect, having hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. She twirled on the ball of her heel, her eyes glued to the flavor panel. The sound of footsteps behind her enticed her to shuffle close to the shelves to her left, making room for the townie in case they needed to pass her. _This wine..? Or a cheap beer?_ She chewed on her lip and weighed the pros and cons of her options.

The internal debate was short lived, a solid force colliding with her back and sending her forward. Lauren gasped as the bottle flew from her hands, her fingers clawing at air as she tried to catch it mid flight. The glass bottle met the floor with a loud crash before she could rescue it, shards scattering across the floor in a red puddle. Her eyes squeezed shut and her arms came up to take the brunt of her impending plummet.

Much to her surprise and relief, she never hit the floor. Strong arms had snaked around her waist and ribs, holding her in a vice like grip flush against the same force that caused the damage to begin with. " _Shit_ , are you okay?"

The voice was deep and hoarse, sounding strained and filled with concern. Lauren sheepishly nodded, her fingers digging into the stranger's forearms to balance herself and regain her thoughts. His hand smoothed down her hip and his other tightened against her chest. Lauren gasped, panic soaring through her when her feet left the floor. A quiet protest left her as the stranger twisted around, her back flush with his chest as he moved her easily out of the way. "Sorry about that," he sighed, his arms falling away from Lauren's body when he was certain she could stand on her own.

Free to move, Lauren stepped away from him, her hand flattening the front of her sun dress. "It's alright," she assured him, turning to properly examine the situation. The man had brought his hand to the back of his neck, brooding anxiously from the accident. Wine and glass filled the small aisle, the scent of alcohol wafting over her. Now she was thankful she hadn't purchased the wine, the smell making her feel light headed. Scattered droplets and varied shards from the bottle led to the end of the aisle where Pierre, the shop's owner, stood with a somber expression.

"Alex, what on Earth happened?" Pierre asked, his hand planting firmly on his hip. Alex inhaled sharply and raked his fingers through his brown hair before gesturing to the mess on the ground.

"It was an accident, Pierre," Alex managed, his jawline growing tense. Pierre sighed and nodded. Of course, he knew it was an accident. Alex Mullner was a good kid, something Pierre had grown to understand over time. "Let me pay for it, it was my fault."

Pierre shook his head. "No, no, Alex, it's quite alright."

"It's _not_ , let me pay you." Alex refused to take no for an answer, his hand fishing into his back pocket to pull out a tattered waller. Lauren forced herself to jump in, her hand closing over Alex's wallet before he could open it. He frowned, taken back by the unfamiliar gaze that met his. The words left his mouth before he could properly process them. "You're not Leah..." His cheeks grew hot upon his realization.

Lauren beamed at him, a nervous laugh leaving her as she brought her hand to her cheek. "No," she confirmed, "I don't believe I am, at least."

"Lauren, are you alright?" Pierre chimed, his head tilting to the side as he studied the two of them. Pierre was one of the few folk in town to have officially met Lauren before her move out to the valley was solidified, his generosity in offering to purchase fresh goods from her and sell her quality seeds making the town all the more surreal to her.

"I'm okay, Pierre," Lauren said, pulling her eyes away from Alex. "Honest."

Pierre's lips were tight, his eyes falling to the floor between them. Lauren perked up quickly, returning her attention to Alex. "All thanks to er... Alex was it?"

Alex nodded, his hand reaching out to the empty space between them, the gesture, while kind, unfit for the current situation. However, anything was better than Zuzu City. Lauren gracefully took his hand, the greeting more than welcome. After a firm handshake, her attention returned to Pierre and her heart sank. "Let me help you clean this up and we can talk about my payment for it."

"You kids," Pierre sputter, exasperated. He rolled his eyes and turned away from the mess, disappearing within the store. Lauren precariously stepped over the mess, Alex following suit. Pierre returned quickly, an old mop and a steel bucket filled with water in tow. "Please, Lauren. It's not a worry. Accidents happen."

Guilt swelled in her chest as she watched him mop the mess– Pierre's shop was struggling, the new Jojamart down the small dirt road putting his prices to shame. While the information hadn't been given to her, Lauren knew it to be true; she'd seen many of the townsfolk pass the quaint storefront in favor of the supermarket's low prices, lowered _further_ by the coupons hung up on the bulletin board just outside Pierre's shop. She would come up with some way to repay the shopkeeper, her mind going over the many options. A sigh left her lips and she turned her gaze to Alex.

Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Lauren smoothed her hand down her front and inhaled deeply. "Thank you, by the way," she murmured. Alex blinked, his gaze traveling to her waist before snapping back to her eyes. The gesture, while lewd in itself, was brushed off as nothing by her. She knew what to expect for the first few months of being in town, knowing that many of the men here had grown up with their neighbors and potential partners– _used_ to seeing each other daily and familiar with each other. Lauren however, was new and exciting, someone for the town to discuss among themselves until her presence grew just as boring as everyone else's.

"Yeah, not a problem," Alex managed, tearing his eyes away from her. His cheeks darkened and he let out a quiet snort. She smiled sweetly and looked back to Pierre who had finished mopping away the spilled wine. It was cleaning the glass while the floor was wet that would be most difficult for him.

"Alright kids," Pierre sighed, resting the mop's handle against the butt of the aisle's shelves. "It's almost closing time. What're we getting?"

Alex pointed to the aisle he needed and ducked around Lauren to fill his list. Left with Pierre, Lauren bit her lip and chuckled. "Dinner– a soup or something and..." she glanced at the mess leftover and brought her hand up to her lips, her teeth digging into the skin of her thumb. Pierre laughed, understanding what she was feeling. He stepped over the shards and paced down the aisle, skimming over his selection of wines before gripping two bottles.

"These here were made local by some of our very own and they're less than half the cost of _that_ ," Pierre said, passing the bottles to Lauren. She clutched them tightly to her chest, not wanting a repeat accident, and watched as Pierre circled the aisle, disappearing from sight before returning with a hefty can. "And this would be one of Caroline's favorites, beef medley." He waved her to the counter and set the can down so he could work the register.

The transaction went over smoothly and Pierre held up a finger to silently tell her to wait, disappearing yet again into the back room of his store. He returned with a large wicker basket and placed Lauren's purchase inside, beaming as he slid it towards her. "Hopefully we'll be seeing you around, Lauren. Enjoy your evening."

"Thanks, Pierre. You too." Lauren looped her arm through the handles and turned away, ready to return to her mess of a cottage. Alex allowed her to pass, a can of creamed corn in his hand. "Nice to meet you, Alex." He shrugged nonchalantly and gave her a curt nod.

He watched Lauren leave the shop and let out a long exhale. Sure, it hadn't been his smoothest introduction, however, he was certain he'd made an impression to last. Plopping the can down on the counter, Alex shook his head and glanced up at Pierre who had an amused expression. "It's been a while since we've had someone new move to town, hasn't it?" the shopkeep asked.

Alex's brows knitted together as he counted out his change. "Yeah," he replied, thinking of when Leah had moved to the valley. It had taken a while to adjust to the new face, but she was part of the community now. "She seems nice." Alex didn't wait around for whatever snarky comment. Pierre could and _would_ make, scooping the can up and pivoting sharply on his heel. He raised a hand farewell and stepped out into the warm spring evening. The air felt good after the crisp winter the town had seen, his skin warming under the rays of the setting sun. His feet reluctantly began to carry him home, the trip back to his grandparent's house short-lived.

His shoulder pressed into the frequently stuck door and pushed it open, his nose filled with the smells of dinner. As always, his grandmother wanted to be sure that none of the meat she'd purchased during winter would spoil and was working on creating a mixed meat stew. "Alex, honey?" she called out, turning to see her grandson coming in. "What took so long? Everything's ready but the corn."

"Sorry, granny," Alex sighed, crossing the kitchen to wrap his grandmother into a tight embrace. He pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head and set to work in opening the can for her. "Had a run in with the new farmer at Pierre's," he explained. His grandmother's body language quickly changed, her posture almost playful as she looked examined Alex closely.

"A new farmer, huh?" She stirred the pot on the stove and carefully twisted the burner off. "Someone interesting?"

Alex scoffed, grinning as he shook his head. " _Evelyn_ ," he playfully scolded. Evelyn patiently waited for her answer. There was no way to avoid answering her questions– and even if you _did_ , she was bound to get it from someone else. "She seems alright. Nice or whatever." Evelyn beamed, her eyes glimmering in excitement as she turned and began to rummage through the cupboards. Flour, sugar, cinnamon– Alex shook his head, knowing that his grandmother was bound to meddle in this poor girl's affairs.

* * *

Lauren's chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. The heat of spring was already taking its toll and the season had barely started. She let out a disgruntled groan and paused, leaning into the handle of her hoe. Weeding, tilling and _more_ weeding. Already, the farm seemed like too much to manage on her own, leaving her feeling defeated as she viewed the horizon of trees covering her property. Frustrated, she straightened herself and shoved the hoe down, joining it on the soil.

She curled into herself, resting her chin on her knees as she thought of all the work ahead of her, cursing her grandfather for leaving such a mess behind for her to try and tame. Her chest ached, angry with herself for being ungrateful to a man who helped raise her. Sighing, she unfurled and leaned back on her arms, soaking up the sun as she tried to rationalize her thoughts. It wasn't as if her grandfather left her the property with the intention of refusing to reveal the deed to herself for over a decade. Her grandfather wouldn't have done this to her on purpose– the man had only ever wanted to see her succeed in life.

Silencing her thoughts, Lauren stilled herself and focused on calming her breathing. Labour like this had never been her strong suit, making her wish she had some extra help to quicken the process. Once she was able to properly breathe, she struggled to her feet and moved to grab her tool, wanting to call it quits for the day. She swung the long wooden shaft of her tool over her shoulder and twisted around, looking at what little progress she'd made today. It was enough to start planting crops, but her heart sank.

Grumbling to herself, she made her way towards the dividing push that separated her yard from the fields, pausing when she heard voices on the other side. "Granny, come on. She's not here." The voice was familiar, yet she couldn't pin a face to match a name.

"Oh, nonsense," came an older woman's voice. Lauren sighed and stepped around the hedge, dropping her tool beside the shrub where she could easily find it again tomorrow. She smiled sweetly when she saw the pair on her porch; the gentleman from Pierre's store and a short and frail older woman whose hair was pulled back in a neat and tight bun. Lauren's stomach swirled nervously, knowing that she looked like a mess in her dirt covered and grass stained overalls. Their conversation carried on and Lauren ran a hand through her hair, wincing when she pulled a twig from a large tangle.

Ready to get it over with, Lauren forced her feet to carry her towards her porch. "Hey," she called, holding her arm above her head. The older woman seemed ecstatic, turning to reveal the large dish cradled in her arms. Beside her, the man whose name Lauren couldn't remember shifted anxiously, his hands ready to catch the dish. Lauren quickly crossed the distance to her porch, smiling politely when the dish was pushed into her arms.

"Welcome to Pelican Town, dear," the woman greeted her. Her voice was tender, filled with warmth that radiated from her the way it would with any good grandmother. "My name's Evelyn, but you can call me Granny."

"Oh, thank–"

"And I'm sure you remember meeting my grandson, Alex," Evelyn gestured to Alex who seemed relieved that his grandmother was no longer holding the heavy pie. "I hope you like baked goods, dearie. That's my renowned apple pie– everyone in town loves it."

Lauren laughed nervously, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. She let the silence drag on, assuring that Evelyn had finished speaking before she tried again to thank her. "Thank you, so much," she managed, adjusting her grip on the pie dish. "This is very generous of you."

"It's the least I can do for one of our own," Evelyn assured, turning her attention to the cabin behind her. "It's good to see that your grandfather's cabin hasn't worn down too much." Evelyn turned back to Lauren. "I hope it kept you warm last night."

Lauren nodded, her smile wavering as she realized Evelyn knew her grandfather personally. "Everything's perfect." She glanced at Alex who sheepishly smiled, his gaze averting to his grandmother. His hand came to her shoulder, giving her a firm squeeze to silently tell her it was time to leave.

"And how is the land treating you?" Evelyn asked, ignoring Alex's touch. Lauren opened her mouth but quickly closed it, casting a wary glance over her shoulder to the dense forest that had rooted itself directly in the center of the farm.

"It's... okay," Lauren said slowly, thinking of the mess on her clothes. Evelyn seemed to see right through her words, clicking her tongue loudly in disappointment. _Oh boy_.

"Perhaps Alex could come help you catch up on the yard work this week," Evelyn suggested, her hand landing on Alex's arm. His face went pale and he turned to Evelyn, shaking his head.

"Hang on," Alex sputtered and glanced at Lauren who he knew he was liable to offend. "I can't do stuff like that– I.. I..."

Evelyn frowned, her body seeming to droop like a wilted flower. "And why not?"

Before Alex could explain himself, Lauren cleared her throat and shook her head. "You guys don't have to do that."

Evelyn fussed, insisting that Lauren accept the help– help she absolutely needed but didn't want to take from those who didn't want to give it. "Dear, take the help Alex needs to do something productive, anyhow. Some hard work would do him some good." Lauren scoffed quietly and looked at the victim of free labour. She'd always hated it when her parents signed her up to do things and couldn't imagine being an adult in the same situation.

Lauren gave in, shaking her head. "Alright, I'll think about it." Evelyn seemed satisfied with her answer, the burning passion to get her grandson out of the house diminishing quickly. "I'm just about done for the day, though." The older woman beamed and clapped her palms together.

"Don't let us keep you then." Evelyn turned to Alex and brushed down the front of his jacket before taking several short steps towards the stairs of the porch. "When you finish that pie, dear, feel free to have Alex come pick up the plate. Can't make any more pies without it, after all." Lauren nodded, smiling as Evelyn began her trek back to town. Alex hung back a moment, chuckling when Lauren relaxed and set the pie down on the first step.

"I'm sorry about my grandma," Alex said, moving to sit on the porch. Lauren laughed and joined him, her hands wringing together in her lap. "She does this every time someone moves to the valley." Alex rocked himself backwards and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket. He was quiet a moment before laughing dryly at himself. "If you do need help, though, I could come give it a try."

"No, I couldn't let you do that," Lauren sighed, leaning back on her palm. Alex frowned and studied her face closely. Dirt was smeared on her cheek, hiding the exhaustion but telling the story of her day in the dirt. He supposed it could've been worse– it could have rained today. "Besides, I wouldn't have come here if I wasn't ready to get my hands dirty." She made a point.

"I thought I'd offer," Alex said, adjusting himself. Another moment of silence passed over them and he let out a shaky exhale. Carefully, he got to his feet and raised his pocketed hand as a farewell gesture. "If you change your mind, you can find me at the blue house next to Pierre's."

Lauren returned the wave and watched Alex leave, relieved to have her cabin to herself once more. While she didn't mind meeting new people, she would have preferred it to be on her own terms and at a time when she _didn't_ look like she'd been working on the farm all day. Moving to her feet, she scooped the pie up and let herself into the cabin where the pie found a spot on one of her many stacks of boxes. Now there was only one thing on her mind: taking a warm shower to wash away the grime.


	2. The Stardrop Saloon

Tuesday quickly rolled to Wednesday, then Thursday– and before Lauren knew it, it was Friday. The week had blown past her, leaving her dazed as she poked through her third box of the day and thought of anything _but_ her farm. Though, the task in itself seemed to drain her of what little energy she had left. Surprisingly, she'd somehow finished her day chores before noon, leaving her with nothing to do but unpack her belongings. And while it bored her endlessly trying to find ways to incorporate her things into the small space, she'd at least found her box of clothes– and in the process, created a whole new mess at the foot of her bed. Now she wouldn't be living out of a small suitcase and for her, that was a win.

With a sigh, she sat back on the mattress, hating how the springs retaliated against her weight. It would be a long while before she would be able to afford a new one. _Just move it to the top of the list_ , she told herself, shoving the box she'd been rummaging through away with the toe of her shoe. Lauren shifted on the bed, crossing her legs underneath herself as she thought of tomorrow's plans. It would be the start of her first weekend in town and she would likely be working. Maybe she could find Alex and finally take him up on his offer, knowing her body would appreciate the break from constant labor.

Or, she could return the pie dish to Evelyn. Her stomach growled loudly as she remembered the pie and looked to the empty dish above the fireplace. Regret filled her after allowing herself to finish it off the night she got it, too consumed in her book to notice it was gone until her fork hit glass. Lauren had been too embarrassed to return the pie dish the next day, so it found a home on her mantle, waiting patiently to be reunited with its owner.

A glance at the clock told her it was nearing six o'clock. Lauren chewed on the inside of her cheek and debated what to do with the rest of her time. It _was_ a Friday, the one day out of the week that the town's saloon was busy and filled for most of the night. At least, that's what the mayor had told her after her arrival. She wasn't entirely sure if she was ready to believe what the mayor told her, however; his impression of 'busy' being rather lackluster to her. Besides, with a town so small, she wondered if it was truly possible for the local bar to _buzz_.

If she left for the saloon now, she'd make it there before seven, giving her more time to introduce herself to a few more locals _and_ see what all the hubbub was about. Pushing herself onto unsteady legs, she shuffled around the maze of towering boxes and squeezed out the front door into the evening light of her farm. The walk towards town was peaceful, birds and frogs filling the silence with chirping and long drawn out croaks that created a harmonious symphony.

The closer Lauren got to town, however, the quieter the wildlife became until they were muted by buildings and trees, replaced with the quiet hum of oldie's music pouring from an open window. She followed the sound, her feet carrying her to a tall building adorned with hand painted signs and unruly vines of ivy. _The Stardrop Saloon,_ the sign read. _Food & Spirits_. Lauren took the path that led to the door, her feet dragging as her eyes landed on a dark and tall stranger sitting on a barrel just out front. His legs were cross, a hand jammed into his hoodie while his other hand held a red glow in the fading light. Her stomach twisted nervously, know thing that in the city, walking near anyone like this just outside a bar could have terrible repercussions.

She swallowed and watched him cautiously, his ebony hair hiding his face from her view. The closer she got, the louder her heart drummed, blood roaring loudly in her ears. Her heart rate grew tenfold when he shifted, his head tilting back to look to the sky and bring his hand to his lips. The smell of cigarettes wafted towards Lauren, explaining the dim red in his hands as he let out a long exhale. Her presence caught his attention, his thumb trailing over his bottom lip as he studied her. She smiled nervously, her hand clenching into a tight fist. A few more steps and she'd be inside where it was safe.

The man gave her a subtle nod, moving gracefully as the cigarette fell from his hand and was quickly smothered under the sole of his boot as he stood. He beat her to the door of the saloon, pulling it open and waiting for her to step past him. She murmured a thank you, relief filling her as she stepped inside. Warmth and comfort hit her, the lighting from the fire adding a beautiful glow the the already gorgeous interior. The crowd was larger than she had anticipated, adding to the ethereal feeling that fell over her.

Behind her, the man had followed her in, ushering her forward. "'Scuse me," he sighed, his voice bored as his hand met her shoulder. He pushed past her and her cheeks grew hot as she apologized, finding herself unheard or ignored by the man. She watched him disappear to a room in the back and turned her attention to the people surrounding tables. There were many faces she recognized and more she did not.

Lauren ran through a list of names attached to the faces she saw, but her thoughts were quickly brought to an end when a loud and boisterous laugh cut her off, a hefty man turning to wave at her. "Welcome to the Stardrop Saloon! What can I get you tonight?" She swallowed and crossed the tavern's floor to come to the bar top, smiling shyly as she looked around at what everyone was drinking. The bartender busied himself with other patrons while Lauren tried to remember desperately a name for any drink, his eyes falling on Lauren again and again until he paused in front of her and leaned into the counter. His elbow met the surface and propped his head up on his palm. "You must be our new neighbor. Welcome to Pelican Town."

Lauren beamed at him. "Thanks. Lauren," she introduced herself, hand extending over the counter, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, my dear," the man said, taking her hand in his own. His hand was warm and soft, comforting Lauren as he introduced himself as Gus, owner of this fine establishment. "First drink is on me tonight. It's always good to see a new face." Lauren wasn't given the chance to protest, finding her hand filled with a chilled mug of foaming ale. Gus have her a sly wink and held a finger to his lips, telling her to stay quiet before turning his attention to another customer. His earlier greeting boomed again throughout the bar as the door's bell rang, sending a shock of joy up Lauren's spine.

To her left was Pierre, appearing flustered as he drank from his glass. He paid no mind to Lauren, absorbed in his own thoughts. She smile wavered but her attention turned to her drink, bringing it to her lips. It was sweet, easily allowed her to drink more than she'd intended on her first swallow. Having to force herself to stop, she chuckled at herself, her fingers catching her lips. Looking for a new distraction, Lauren examined the tavern, her eyes landing on the gentleman to her right. He looked rugged and exhausted, his fingertips dragging lazily across the bar top.

Feeling a little courageous, Lauren slid over a seat, bringing herself next to the stranger. "Hey," she said, her voice almost drowned out by Gus' laughter. Her hand was held out expectantly and was met with a silent glare. She pouted, her hand dropping and returning to her beverage for another drink. The ale only fueled her stubbornness, her hand coming out across the counter to rap her knuckles against the stained wood. "What're you drinking?" she asked, smiling sweetly when he looked over to her.

A slur of words left him, his eyes rolling as Lauren tried to comprehend what he'd said. To finish his thought, he turned away and leaned into the counter, a loud and clear "get off my dick," leaving him. Lauren felt her cheeks grow hot as she scoffed. _Every small town has at least one asshole,_ she thought. With another drink that nearly emptied her glass, she twisted her entire body to face him, propping her self up against the counter.

"What, too good to be my friend? she asked him, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. The question seemed to spark a fire under him, the man groaning as he straightened himself. It became obvious to her that he was well past the limit, his cheeks red and his eyes hooded as he swayed in his chair.

"Look, lady. I don't have time to be your _pal_ ," he sneered, waving his hand at her. "Not your pal, not your buddy, and sure as hell not your friend." His voice was patronizing, as if he were scolding a young child. Lauren shrunk away from the words and still the assault continued. "And I definitely don't have time to be friends with a city folk who thinks that a vacation to the valley will make her the southern belle of her dreams just so she can thaw the frozen hearts of all the townsfolk. I don't _want_ to be a part of your make believe idealisms," he spat, shaking his head in annoyance as he turned away from her. "So if you'll excuse me."

Taken back by his words, Lauren cleared her throat and looked away, noticing that no one seemed to be paying any attention to what he'd just said. Feeling more defeated than she had on her first day working the farm, she quickly finished off her drink and sighed. Of course she knew not everyone would easily warm up to her, however, she'd also hoped she wouldn't meet a rude one in the bunch. Sighing into her glass, she slid the cup back to Gus, shaking her head when he offered her a refill. Beside her, the man caught Gus' attention and mirrored her. He waited patiently for Gus to pour him another, the barkeep shaking his head in disappointment. "Alright, Shane, but it's your last one then you need to leave."

"Yeah, yeah," Shane snorted, wetting his lip as Gus filled his cup. Lauren perked up, thinking of a new way to befriend Shane.

"I'll have one, too!" she chimed, grinning at Gus. The barkeep's brows knitted tightly together and he double checked once, then twice, before giving in and filling her order. Lauren happily took the glass and took a small whiff, her nose burning from the smell. Regret bubbled in her stomach and she understood why Gus seemed reluctant to seek her the drink. The sign out front reminded her that Gus sole Spirits, practically moonshine. A shudder crept up Lauren's back as she thought of actually drinking the liquor in her hand. And yet...

_Stuff will put hair on your chest, hon,_ her father's voice echoed in her head. She silently apologized to her father and brought the glass to her lips. She felt her throat shut as her lips parted, the strength of the alcohol making her physically unable to take the drink. Lauren gagged, the glass slamming down on the counter as she tried to regain herself. Shane ignored her, easily drinking from his glass without hesitation. Once she was able to breathe again, she huffed and looked at Shane. "How do you drink this stuff?"

A frustrated grunt came from him, the glass coming to his lips and quickly draining. Shane hissed, setting the glass down as he stood, his hand landing on the countertop as he swayed. He steadied himself and dug into his pocket for his waller, emptying it on the counter. Lauren sighed in disappointment, her hand clutching her own drink. She casted a glance over her shoulder, nothing a few of the patrons leaving. She felt odd being left alone at the bar, her thumb meeting her teeth. There was no way she would finish this drink, the idea making her cough uncomfortably.

With no one else appearing friendly enough to chat with and her optimism crushed, Lauren sighed and stood. She knew that tonight had been a bust on befriending and of the townsfolk as she'd wanted to. She lingered back, watching as several more patrons wished each other good night and left. When the doorway finally cleared, Lauren took her chance and snuck out, met with darkness lit only by the lamp highlighting the saloon's sign.

The warm air she'd spent time in earlier today was now gone, replaced with the chilly nip of what was left of winter. She hugged herself and stepped onto the cobbled path, checking to see if there was anyone still around. The same man who'd been out before she arrived was out again, resting in the same spot with a new cigarette burning absently between his lips. His head was tilted back and his eyes were closed, a look of exhaustion that Lauren was all too familiar with. Deciding to not push her luck, she turned in the opposite direction and paused when she saw Shane leaning against the saloon's wall.

_Maybe_ she could push her luck.

Lauren casually strolled towards him, minding the sound of her steps. As she got closer, she forced her body to relax and reached a hand out to wave farewell to him. "See ya later mister grouchy pants," she teased. Her hand was caught and her body felt torn as she was pulled towards the saloon wall. Shane let out a sigh of frustration, his forearm pinned against her throat to keep her still against the wall.

She squeaked in pain, Shane's voice becoming a low snarl as he drowned out her noise. "You couldn't just leave well enough alone, could you." His breath smelled sour, overwhelming alongside the booze that came from his pores. Lauren stuttered, unable to form a coherent thought to save her own hide. She just _had_ to antagonize him, practically asking for this to happen. Her eyes closed and she let out a shaky breath. "Just couldn't take no for an answer–"

"Shane," a voice called. Lauren's eyes shot open and her head snapped over to where the man in black was getting on his feet. His boots hit the ground and he took another drag from his cigarette before dropping what was left beside his foot. "Come off it, man."

" _Oh_ , fuck off, Sebastian," Shane snarled, tossing his head towards Sebastian. Sebastian glowered, his hands finding solace deep in the pocket of his hoodie. Watching Sebastian stride towards her and Shane send a tremble up Lauren's spine, her stomach twisting anxiously. Shane spoke again, his voice booming in her ears. She flinched and her eyes squeezed shut once more. "This doesn't concern you."

A scoff could be heard from Sebastian as he closed the distance, his hand coming loose from his pocket to grab a fistful of Shane's coat. He firmly tugged, tilting his head in annoyance as he spoke, "Go home, Shane. Sober up before someone gets Clint." When Shane refused to budge, Sebastian swiftly wrapped his arm around the drunk's waist, pulling him away from Lauren with little effort. Shane let out a primitive howl, his arms swinging back. Lauren took the chance to duck out of their way, stumbling towards the tavern's door.

"Get off me, ya ego cunt!" Shane bared his teeth, swinging again. Sebastian turned Shane towards the woods, his hands flattening against his back to give him a harsh shove. Lauren looked over her shoulder, her stomach in her throat as she watched Shane lose his balance, dropping to the ground with a dry laugh. She tried to swallow but found herself unable.

Before Shane could get to his feet, Sebastian dropped himself into a squat. Though he was trying to come to Shane's level so as to not loom over him, the stance looked more like a panther aiming to pounce on its prey. His elbows landed on his knees, his balance keen as he sighed. "You can't be doing this shit, Shane. Think about Jas."

Upon hearing the name Jas, Shane's body visibly melted and his expression softened. His hand cradled his face and he let out a quiet wail of anguish. Lauren felt perverted watching this grown man fight with himself, her eyes tearing away from him as his fist came down on the ground in front of him. Sebastian was patient, waiting for the sounds to stop before he spoke again, his voice soft and comforting. "Go home and sober up– if not for yourself, do it for Jas."

Neither Sebastian nor Lauren moved, worried that they would reignite the fight in Shane. Several minutes passed before Shane pulled his hand down his face, sniffling as he pushed himself onto his feet and turned to face Sebastian. Sebastian stood with him, his hands sliding back into his pockets. Shane raised a limp hand and pointed it at Lauren, his eyes red and strained, fixated on Sebastian. The gaze seemed to have no effect on Sebastian, the two of them holding steady. "Alright, but you keep her off. I'm sick and tired of city kids thinking that they run things." Shane's voice cracked. "Shit happens again and you best believe you won't get to play as the knight in shining armor."

Sebastian only blinked in response, the toe of his boot digging into the ground. Satisfied that he'd gotten his point across, Shane turned away, his hand on his stomach as he disappeared into the dark. Lauren sighed in relief, leaning back into the wall of the saloon. Sebastian shifted his weight and took a step back, his body twisting as he focused on her. "Look," he started, his voice soothing as he spoke. "I hope you're not hurt or _whatever_ , but you can't be doing shit like that with Shane."

Lauren frowned, the back of her hand coming to her cheek. "I'm really sorry," she whispered. "I didn't think he..." She shook her head and let her hand fall to her waist. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." A hum came from him as he again shifted his weight, his gaze turning towards the sky. His hand slid out of his pocket, a worn pack of Lucky Strikes in his palm and a lighter. "You mind?"

"N-no."

Sebastian groaned quietly, his eyes dropping to his hands as his fingers nimbly worked a cigarette from the pack and brought it to his lips. The two of them were quiet as he lit the cigarette, his hands returning to his pockets. From inside the saloon, the oldie's music could still be heard along with Gus' laughter, the sound calming Lauren as she sunk down to the ground. "How long you been here?"

Sebastian's question caught her off guard, not expecting him to make small talk. "Almost a week now," she answered. He nodded, accepting her answer as he pulled the cigarette away from his lips.

"Figures." Sebastian hissed as he lowered himself, sitting back on his heels. "My mom won't stop talking about you."

"Your mom?" Lauren asked, pulling her knees closer to her chest.

"Robin," he explained. "She's been trying to come up with an affordable _upgrade_ plan for you– whatever that means."

Lauren snorted, her hand slapping over her mouth. Sebastian quirked a brow at her, the corner of his lip curling up. "Sorry I– my place doesn't have a kitchen right now," she quickly explained. "And it's not like building an entire kitchen is _cheap_."

"No kitchen?" Sebastian chuckled, his thumb dragging over the shape of his bottom lip. He opened his mouth to ask her another question, only to find himself cut off by a softer voice.

"Seb, are you _actually_ coming back? Sam's badgering _me_ to play against him and you know how badly it went last time." The statement was followed by a soft laugh, filling Lauren's chest with warmth. She leaned forward, curious to put a face to the voice.

Sebastian waggling his cigarette, ash falling from the red cherry. "You met Abby yet?"

"Abby?"

He smiled crookedly at her and beckoned the girl from the saloon. She stepped out, her arms wrapping tightly around herself. "See, I'm not smoking with you again–"

"Shut up," Sebastian scoffed, rolling his eyes as he pointed to Lauren. "I found you a stray."

Abigail looked to where Sebastian was pointing, a smile crossing her face when she found Lauren. " _Oh!_ A _stray_ ," she giggled, practically skipping to where Lauren was sitting. She pushed her hand towards her, letting it hang in Lauren's face. "nice to meet you. I'm Abigail, but you can all me Abby."

Lauren introduced herself in return, bashfully taking Abigail's hand. Sebastian stood when Abigail began to ramble on about Pelican Town, his cigarette left behind as he snuck off into the saloon. He resumed his game of pool with Sam, easily pocketing his billiards. After a short while, Abigail returned to their space, Lauren in tow. The night was spent getting to know each other, the trio happily accepting Lauren into their folds until they drew the evening to an end. Abigail invited Lauren back to the saloon the next passing Friday and asked for her number before hugging her tightly and heading out.

Lauren sighed as she began her walk home. _Maybe it won't be as bad as I thought._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I like ending things on a corny note :( forgive me.   
> Aside from that, I'm really having fun with this and the writing process I've chosen to create it and I really hope you're enjoying it so far.


	3. Breakfast of Champions

The old oak planks creaked under heavy footsteps, protesting their use. It wasn't everyday Shane found himself outside someone's house trying to work up the courage to knock and apologize for his behavior. In fact, he'd _never_ found himself in this situation. Yet, when he woke from his drunken haze earlier in the morning, flashes of the previous night came crawling back to him and guilt ladened his heart. There was never a time in his life he'd been _that_ rude to someone he'd only just met, let alone that aggressive.

So he did the only thing he could think of and called Gus who was very displeased to be receiving a phone call so early.

 _Gus, I don't ask for a lot, but I really need this._ Please?

Gus gave in after having a few select words to say, and Shane slipped out of the house before Marnie or Jas could find him in the kitchen making orders for a hefty breakfast he wouldn't be sharing with them. Now, here he was, pacing the new farmer's porch holding a bag filled with styrofoam take out containers. Tired of fighting with himself, Shane raised his hand, ready to knock on the door of the cabin. His knuckles almost met the wood when he heard the landline ringing from inside. His moment of courage gone, Shane's hand dropped to his side. Maybe he could leave the breakfast by her door with a note. _No, you've been enough of an ass already._

As the landline continued to drone on, Shane could hear several thuds and crashes from inside, closely followed by a series of volatile curses. When the ringing finally stopped, he could make out the soft and tired voice from inside. "Hello?" There was a long pause, then a sound of exclamation. " _Oh_ , yes! Of course, err... let me find a pencil."

Shane held his breath as he listened closely, the sound of something sliding across the floor followed by yet _another_ crash and muted swear. He bit back a laugh and shook his head, readjusting his grip on the bag of food. The voice came again, filled with embarrassment this time. "Okay, sorry. I'm still moving so my place is a bit of a disaster-" she fell quiet, listening intently. "Absolutely! I can fill this order no problem; did you have a specific time you needed..." Her voice dropped, turning into a confirmation noise. The call came to a wrap and Shane again raised his hand to knock, only to jump when he heard the exhilarated shriek from inside.

No longer wanting to eavesdrop, Shane brought his knuckles against the faded red door and the sounds inside fell silent. He felt nervous now, knowing he couldn't take it back. His hand came to the back of his neck, absentmindedly trying to rub out the anxiety. Expecting to hear movement, Shane felt his heart jump to his throat when the front door was forced open, a sleepy face peering out from the small opening.

Lauren had to rub her eyes in disbelief upon seeing Shane outside her door. He looked anxious, the color having drained from his face and his body twisting away from her. She hadn't been expecting company, _especially_ from him. Her mind wandered to last night, her stomach tying itself in knots as she remembered the way his arm had pressed against her throat– how bad his breath had been. Shane grew paler seeing her grab her neck subconsciously, the image of her pressed between him and the saloon's wall dancing behind his eyelids.

The moment quickly passed and Lauren adjusted her shirt, clutching the fabric tightly together at the front. Of course he would find her at her most vulnerable– having just woken up and half naked. Her thigh pressed against the inside of the door and she moved to shut it, blocking his view of her body. Shane avoided looking down at her exposed leg, something Lauren greatly appreciated. Her scowl was enough to deter him, leaving her thankful he didn't seem to notice her embarrassment as the involuntary heat rose to her cheeks. She didn't want _anyone_ from town to see her so disheveled. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Shane's expression flipped like pages of a book; concern, then worry followed by amusement, before falling steadily on guilt. He spoke, his words incomprehensible as he stuttered and choked. Clearing his throat, his eyes panned to the farm's fields and he tried again. "I wanted to apologize." His voice, while quiet, was much more articulate than Lauren anticipated– expecting the same sluggish slurs from last night. Her eyes narrowed, daggers as she gauged his sincerity.

Here, she had the high ground. The conversation could've quickly come to an end if she neglected to accept his apology and simply closed the door, however... Lauren's eyes landed on the bag in Shane's arm and she gestured to it, her movement catching Shane's attention. "What's in the bag?" She needed to know if he was being genuine or not. He seemed relieved to have the attention away from _why_ he was at her door and shifted his weight to rummage through the bag.

"It's breakfast. I wasn't sure what you liked." The words rolled languidly from his tongue, his hand grabbing a small styrofoam container. "So... I just got a little bit of everything."

His gaze travelled back to Lauren, his cheeks growing hot when she leaned forward and her leg peaked out from behind the door. Completely bare, the smooth skin rubbed against the door from, the rest of her body hidden away by a thin white flannel. He looked up, his eyes squeezing shut as he let out an exhale. Lauren's nose wrinkled in disgust, hating the way he'd looked at her; like it had been years since he'd seen that much of a woman.

Hate boiled in her chest, the flame growing stronger as her glare grew sharper. Even though the hate had grown, she still disliked being rude. "Thanks," she bit, gesturing to the porch. "You can leave it. I'll come grab it in a minute."

Shane obliged, his eyes landing on his palms, calloused and worn, as a defeated look crossed his face. With the bag being left by the door, he took a step back and slipped his hands into the pocket's of his shorts, his thumb tracing over the lip of an open container. The liquid courage in his pocket reminded him that he would have some comfort after this confrontation, encouraging him to try one last time. "I'm sorry- _really_ sorry," he frowned, this apology more genuine. "I know that I could come up with an excuse or some bullshit charade for why I..."

He cleared his throat, Lauren's dagger glare making him anxious. His feet moved back again, putting more space between them. "But I won't and I get it- if you don't want to forgive me, I mean. I won't be upset. I... I just wanted to try and make amends so you knew that I meant it."

Lauren's gaze softened, her fingers sliding down the front of her shirt. Here he was, that same vulnerable man who had cried last night after arguing with Sebastian. He was baring himself to her, extending an olive branch of peace and while she was still leery, she didn't want to slap it out of his hands. He'd started to move down the steps of the porch and Lauren silently cursed herself. "Wait!"

Shane turned back to her, surprised to see that her expression had softened. Lauren smiled sheepishly and bit her bottom lip, the silence building up. "Thank you," she murmured. "Genuinely."

A laugh came from Shane, not at all like the dry forced laugh she'd heard the night before, but a genuine offer of his amusement. He shrugged and turned away, back on his mission to leave. "It's not a problem, Lauren." Her heart jumped to her throat hearing him say her name. Lauren didn't believe he'd remembered it from last night, but she was certain he'd said it. "Take care, farmer, and try not to overwork yourself. I know how life on the farm can be."

And with that, Shane was off, following the long gravel road that led to town.

* * *

The rest of Lauren's Saturday was spent between her farm and Pierre's shop browsing seeds where she bumped into Abigail. The purple haired beauty helped her choose between different vegetables and double checked that Lauren _would_ be joining her and the boys at the saloon that coming Friday. "I just really need some more girl friends, Lauren. We haven't had anyone our age move here in awhile." Lauren had laughed at the statement, finding it easy to get along with Abigail's bluntness. She confirmed that she would join Abigail's group at the bar and that was that.

It wasn’t until Sunday morning when Lauren got up to water her fields that she noticed a familiar brown bag on her porch. A gift from who she could only assume to be Shane, filled with different goodies and breakfast. The gesture was appreciated, Lauren taking the time to enjoy the small picnic on her porch. What was leftover would be eaten later in the day, keeping her fed without having to decide which canned meal she could tolerate for the night. 

Then again on Monday, another bag. Lauren sighed as she looked around, wondering when Shane had made the time to sneak up to her cabin and slink off without waking her. As she dug into a sweet sticky bread, a plan formed in her head. There was no way she would let a man she barely knew feed her again and again– not without some form of payment. 

As Tuesday rolled in, Lauren’s alarm sounded from the floor rather than beside her, most of her boxes unpacked now and flattened. It was dark outside, thick grey clouds blocking the sky. She groaned miserably, her arm falling to where the bells obnoxiously rang. The alarm clock fit easily in her palm, the sound silenced as she hit the mechanism to turn it off. The cabin fell quiet and she twisted on her sheets, the springs protesting loudly.

She was still, waiting for the exhaustion to leave her. Lauren was thankful that her work around the farm was growing easier, a new schedule being created with each passing day that let her work well into the evening. She knew that over time the labour would grow easier until she felt bored of her same daily routine and her body no longer ached at every turn. A yawn snuck out of her and she forced herself to sit up, the alarm clock coming to her chest as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. If it rained today, she wouldn’t have to worry about watering her field for a few days, giving her some free time to explore the town further.

With her mind occupied over the opportunities that came with rain, she slid her pajama bottoms on. The long linen pants were welcome, warming her chilled legs. Her flannel was replaced with a tanktop and an old hoodie– a remnant of her past relationships in the city. Now, it would be a waiting game. Lauren stepped out onto her porch, sitting under the cover of her awning to avoid the dark clouds above. Her nails picked at the withering planks around her as she waited, wondering how much it would be to renovate the small cabin like she wanted.

It didn’t take long for Lauren to hear the crunching of gravel under long strides, her gaze turning to see Shane watching his feet as he walked towards the cabin. She hunkered down, feeling nervous as he got closer. When his foot met the first step of the porch, Lauren cleared her throat and crossed her legs. “Good morning,” she croaked, her hand landing on her throat. Shane’s head snapped up, his arms tightening around the bag in his arms.

“M-morning,” he stuttered, unmoving. Lauren smiled at him, sweet and inviting. He glanced over his shoulder and let out a breath of laughter. “You’re awake.”

“I am,” Lauren confirmed, rubbing her eyes. “I wanted to see if you’d eat with me today.”

Shane blinked numbly, swallowing as he gingerly set the bag down in front of her. “I… I guess I have some time to kill before work.” Lauren scooted herself closer to the door and patted the spot beside her, waiting for Shane to come sit with her. As he got comfortable, Lauren began to empty the bag, her stomach growling impatiently. The food was mind blowingly delicious, now something she looked forward to every morning. She looked over to Shane, frowning when she saw him tracing over the lines of his palm uncomfortably.

“Do you cook this?” she asked him, breaking the silence. Shane’s eyes widened at the question, a smile breaking over his lips. The question acted more as a compliment as he laughed and shook his head.

“No, no,” he sighed. “I don’t really cook. It’s from Gus’. I just call it in and pick it up.”

Lauren began to divide out the food, keeping less than half of what she wanted for herself and leaving Shane to have the pickings of what was left. “I don’t eat a whole lot in the mornings,” she said, biting her tongue as she thought of the large amount of food she _had_ been eating each morning, then picking off whatever was left throughout the day. “I normally just finish it off later.” Though it was a lie, Shane seemed satisfied to hear it. He reached for a smaller container filled with orange slices.

“I was worried it was too much, but if you’re eating it…” Shane was a slow eater, more so playing with the contents than actually _eating_ it. Lauren could tell he was still uncomfortable, something bothering him. She picked at the food in front of her, trying to think of other conversation starters. It wasn’t as if the silence that fell between them was uncomfortable, but seeing Shane fight with his internal monologue set the mood.

“Do you work in town?”

“Yeah,” he hummed in annoyance. “I work at Jojamart– I also help out my aunt.”

Shane looked at Lauren, his eyes landing on hers. His leg began to bounce anxiously, his mouth opening and closing. Lauren smiled at him, patient in waiting for him to say what he wanted. He quickly gave up, however, turning back to the oranges and using it as an excuse to silence himself. “Your aunt– is she a local?”

He nodded, his tongue running over his teeth before he spoke. “She’s the cattle driver here. Supplies a lot of farms out west with their beef supply. Also raises chickens.” There was another pause and Lauren watched as Shane relaxed entirely. “You plan on getting livestock?”

Lauren beamed, going on about the plans for livestock that she had– chickens, cows, sheep, possibly pigs. Her rambling came quickly to an end when Shane snickered. Her cheeks grew hot as she realized she’d let her excitement bubble over, a cough coming from her as she turned away and hid her face in the sleeve of her hoodie. They spent several more minutes talking about the livestock, easily falling into the conversation as if they’d been friends for years. The conversation leaned towards tending and raising animals, prices of coop and barn building, and prices of feed. 

When they again grew quiet, Shane shifted in his spot and set his now empty cup beside himself. He leaned back into the wood panelling behind him and sighed, his knuckle meeting his teeth. The mood returned to the uncomfortable edge it had before, Lauren finding it difficult to swallow. “Lauren,” he whispered. “I’m really sorry.”

The apology caught her off guard, her hand coming to her lips as she coughed and cleared her throat. She frowned, knowing why he was apologizing. He truly wanted to make amends, to leave that night behind them and start anew. His grimace made Lauren soften, her shoulder resting against her cabin as she pushed her food back. It looked like there was a frog in his mouth, needing to jump out, but Lauren didn’t wait for him to spring the question on her, already knowing her answer. Her hand met the space between them and she smiled at him, realizing that he wasn’t too bad sober. “I forgive you, Shane. It’s water under the bridge– so why not start over?”

Shane’s face relaxed and his hand easily slid into Lauren’s. “Hey, neighbor. My name’s Lauren, what’s yours?”

He smiled an endearing smile filled with deep admiration, his cheeks softening in a pink glow. “Shane, it’s a pleasure.” Lauren let out a small laugh when he brought her knuckles to his lips, the gesture embarrassing both of them. The two of them quickly separated, Lauren running her hand down her leg nervously. Shane busied himself with checking his wristwatch, hissing when he saw the time. “It’s been fun, but I gotta run or I’m gonna be late.”

He stood and brushed himself off, leaving Lauren on the porch. She raised a hand to weakly wave at him, her knee coming to her chest. Shane was several paces down her driveway when he turned and raised a hand to her, his voice carrying across the open space. “See you around, farmer.”

  
  



	4. In Which Lauren Meets Copernicus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( Hi, I just wanted to let you guys know that I had an accident and hurt my left hand quite a bit. Chapters will still come out but they might be slower until I heal up. Anyway, enjoy meeting Copernicus.

Ever since Lauren had arrived in Stardew Valley, she noticed that her farm was infested with _some_ creature– a creature she quickly deduced to be raccoons. Not just _any_ raccoons, however. Raccoons who had been driving her up the wall almost to her breaking point. They were everywhere; in the bush in front of her house, by her crops, but especially in the dense woods directly in the center of her farm that she’d chosen to plant her crops near. 

At first, she believed they wouldn't be an issue, but as her first week dragged by into her second, she found herself looking into what raccoons ate. It was this knowledge that became the straw that broke the camel's back and encouraged her to purchase several different traps. All humane, of course. However, when they came in the mail, she found it difficult to set them without catching her own arm and the idea of rescuing her plants and seeds became a distant dream she could only hope to achieve before her first harvest. 

In the city, raccoons were common and more commonly ignored. These creatures were scavengers, only choosing violence when they felt endangered or cornered. Those who _did_ choose violence over peace were quickly taken away by animal control, their future no longer in their ridiculously small hands. Out on the farm, however, it was a whole new war. One that would define Lauren’s future within Pelican Town.

Now, here she was, planting more crops than she could ever reasonably care for in desperate hopes that there would still be something left for her to harvest between sharing the fresh fruits of her labour with the raccoons and the crows. The wooden handle of her hoe dug into a new forming blister, causing her to wince and stop her work. Even through the gloves, the work was beginning to take its toll.

As she studied the growing blister on her thumb, the testing sound of scurrying in the trees beside her sent a deadly chill up her spine. She hissed in frustration, hating them for tormenting her this way– their constant threat looming over her head just to taunt her. Lauren’s reaction was involuntary, her hand gripping her hoe’s handle firmly and judging the weight before she lifted it over her head and threw it towards the trees. The projectile fell short of her goal, rolling loudly with a crash and thud up to the base of a tree. Her threat had silenced the creatures roaming in her unwanted tree grove momentarily but had ignited her desire to rid her fields of them.

Still frustrated, Lauren pivoted on her heel and marched towards her cabin, her desire to win the war outweighing the complexity of learning how to set the traps. Her chores could wait. This needed to be done _now_. Littering her porch was several metal wire cages, all with a device meant to trap a creature as soon as they entered for the sweet treat that would be hidden away inside. She sat herself beside them and took one into her lap, studying the mechanism inside carefully before reaching in to try and set it. It clicked as she set the device and her triumph got the best of her, the trap snapping down on her wrist and leaving her yelping loudly with her hand stuck inside the metal bars.

“I’m pretty sure those aren’t meant for people,” a voice chimed from her driveway. Lauren jumped in surprise, her heart rate rising then falling when she saw Alex with an amused expression on his face. She let out a sigh of annoyance and rolled her eyes, returning her attention to her aching wrist. He crossed the distance between them, his hands working swiftly and gracefully to free her hand. He took the trap from her and set it beside the others, his hand resting on top of the cool metal. “What’re you doing?” he asked her quietly, his eyes taking a distracted detour down her body. 

Lauren let out a groan and slumped forward, studying the red mark that was forming just above her wrist. “I have raccoons I’m trying to trap but…” she trailed off and swatted the air in the direction of the cages and huffed. “Can’t figure the damn things out.”

Alex frowned, pulling his gaze from her to look at the traps. He took the one he’d pulled off her into his hands and crammed it between his knees. Lauren watched as he pulled the door back and reached in, easily locking the trap open and setting it down without setting it off. “Doesn’t look too hard,” he managed, scooting the trap over with his foot. She scoffed and threw her hands up, cursing Yoba himself to have the audacity to throw her own stupidity in her face. “Hey, I don’t mind helping. I just wanted to check on how the pie was doing.”

Reluctantly, she accepted his help. They worked alongside each other to carry the traps over to the source of the problem and began to find open spaces to lay the traps down. Alex did most of the work, following Lauren’s directions on placement until they finally ran out of traps. The task itself didn't take long, it would be waiting for the traps to go off that would take the longest. Wanting to stick around and help her if the traps were set off, Alex offered to help her further on the farm, being put to work with the easy job of removing weeds while Lauren retrieved her tossed aside hoe and set to work in tilling up the rest of the soil she’d planned for crops.

It wasn’t until a few hours had passed and the two of them were sitting side by side waiting patiently that Lauren spoke of the menaces in the trees. “I always thought raccoons were nocturnal,” she told him quietly, her cheek resting on her knee while she picked at a loose string on her shoe. Beside her, Alex was tracing intricate shapes over his palm, his feet tucked tightly underneath him. “But _these_ little shits are so annoying– they’re _everywhere_ all the time.”

“They _are_ nocturnal,” Alex snorted, looking over to her. Lauren laughed at herself, her hand shielding her eyes in annoyance. “That’s what makes it so weird.”

Before Lauren could agree, the sound of scampering drew both of their attention to the edge of the trees. She glared, wanting to see the creatures that had driven her to the brink of insanity. Instead, the sound of a trap’s door being activated echoed between the trees followed closely by a primitive yelp. Lauren wasted no time in jumping to her feet, determined to come face to face with the raccoon who had taken hold in her farm. Alex was quick to follow, his steps sloppier than hers and slowing him down. He grumbled quietly when she disappeared gracefully into the tree line, wanting to see it almost as badly as she did.

She was cautious walking through the overgrown mini-forest, not wanting to miss the trap that had been set off. When the trap in question came into her field of view, her steps stuttered and she frowned. Yet, she pressed on, finding herself kneeling beside the trap.

The creature inside was most definitely _not_ a raccoon. All the anger left Lauren in that moment, her hand resting on top of the metal cage. Rather than a raccoon like she’d been expecting, there was a young dog trembling, its body pressed firmly against the door. Behind her, Alex’s clumsy steps brought him into view, his brows knitting together when he saw the puppy. “That’s not a raccoon.”

“No,” Lauren whispered, smiling sweetly as she moved her hand down the side of the trap to introduce herself safely. “It’s not.” Her smile grew wider when the dog pathetically lapped at her fingers, his trembling coming to a halt. She laughed quietly and stuck her finger through the wired mesh and cooed softly. “Good going Copernicus– how’d you manage this one?”

She was timid as she twisted the trap around and angled the door towards herself. Worry filled her when she began to open the door, not having considered that the dog might be feral. Much too late, the door was open and the dog had crawled out into her lap, delighting her when it placed both its paws against her chest and craned its neck to nudge her cheek with its nose. Her hands came to its sides and the dog began to squirm with excitement, licking greedily at her cheeks.

“Do you think someone lost their dog in town?”

Alex shrugged and lowered himself down beside her, his palm meeting the ears of the dog. “It’s not mine… and no one else really has a dog here.” Lauren frowned and looked down at the dog, being met with more soft kisses from it. Her next question was about a vet, hoping that someone in town would be able to tell her more than she could find out herself. Without a collar, the dog was left without any information to know if he’d had his shots or if he truly _was_ lost. 

Lauren rejected the idea of taking the dog to Harvey, believing that a true doctor would be offended having a dog brought to him as a patient. Marnie was next on Alex’s list, the suggestion making more sense to Lauren than the former. She passed the dog off to Alex who happily carried the bundle of fur through her fields, leading the way to where Marnie’s ranch bordered Lauren’s farm.

The ranch contrasted Lauren’s property more than she originally thought it would, the sound of cows and their bells ringing through the meadows. Even the smells were wildly different, the pup wriggling with enthusiasm as he tried to figure out what was what. Alex held on tightly, refusing to set the dog down until they were inside Marnie’s with the front door shut tightly behind them. “Hey, Marnie,” Alex greeted her, lowering the dog to the floor. Marnie returned the greeting, her voice becoming a gentle coo as she said hello to the dog who quickly lost interest in her and went off in search of new scents.

Alex and Marnie caught up with each other, the older woman fretting over Alex as if he were her own son. Her hand brushed back his hair and she twisted him around, scolding him when she was done with her inspection for not visiting her sooner. Then, her eyes landed on Lauren still beside the door. “And you must be Lauren,” Marnie beamed, her hand reaching across the space. Lauren took her hand, surprised to find Marnie pulling her into a tight hug. “It’s good to see you’ve grown into a fine young woman,” she sighed, squeezing Lauren tighter.

A wheeze left Lauren and Marnie released her, her aged and calloused hands tracing down Lauren’s arms. She frowned when Lauren seemed confused, and sighed. “Of course you don’t remember me– that was so many years ago,” she laughed despondently. “Your grandfather never did keep many pictures.” She twirled around, disappearing into the kitchen. “You used to play down in the sticks and mud with my nephew when you were younger, though I’m sure you don’t remember much of that and don’t care to hear about it now.”

Lauren frowned as she knelt on the floor, the dog rushing over to her happily. She ran her hand down the dogs back, looking up when Marnie returned with a large mug. Lauren stood, gesturing down to the dog with a small pout. “Do you think you could give me a hand?” she asked. The rancher cleared her throat and bent down, lifting the dog up to set him on her customer counter. “I’m pretty sure he’s a little lost. Way too friendly to be feral, but he was out on my farm.”

Marnie nodded and ran a hand down the dog’s coat, concentrating as she listened to Lauren explain how she’d found him bumbling in the bushes; neglecting to mention that she thought the poor thing was a raccoon. The rancher took a drink from her mug, and when Lauren was done talking, asked her what she was calling him.

“You called him Copper…” Alex tried to repeat the name she’d used when she’d found him.

“Copernicus,” Lauren stopped him, leaning into the counter. 

Marnie chuckled and lowered her mug, ensuring it was out of reach of Copernicus. “Tell you what,” she started, lifting the dog off her counter and lowering him back to the ground. “I’ll make a few calls around the valley and see if I can find out about a lost dog anywhere. Otherwise, I have a lead for you to make it easier to keep track of him until we find his family.”

With that, Marnie took the time to show Lauren how to use the horse lead as a makeshift dog leash, and sent her on her way, confused but thankful for having such kind neighbors. Alex let her take the leash as he walked her home, accepting her thanks and retrieving his grandmother’s pie dish. Left alone with the dog, she sighed and glanced at her alarm clock. There was a long list of supplies she needed before Pierre’s shop closed; a list that had grown longer now that she was fostering a dog. If she hurried, she’d be able to catch Pierre before he closed the store but she didn’t trust Copernicus to not destroy her cabin if she left him to his own devices.

She weighed the pros and cons, and decided to bring Copernicus with her, the walk to town surprisingly easy. While he was curious to new smells and sounds, he never lingered longer than it took her to pass him, his paws hitting the ground at almost a run to catch up to her. Once they hit town, however, walking him became hectic. He grew quickly distracted, wanting to investigate anything and everything. Lauren allowed him to explore some of the town square before she quickly picked him up and brought him towards Pierre’s shop. She juggled him and the door, opening it enough so that Pierre would be able to hear her. “Pierre? Could I bring a dog in? Just for a minute. I really need to get a few things but I…”

“Come in, Lauren,” Pierre chuckled. He came over to help her with the door, taking Copernicus into his arms to greet him. He baby-talked the dog, giving Lauren the chance to fill her list; dog food and treats, dinner, and a few things to help her out on her farm later. It wasn’t long before the commotion from Pierre drew his daughter, Abigail, out. Her squeals of joy filled the shop and her own voice joined Pierre’s as they showered Copernicus with attention. Lauren didn’t wait around long, knowing Pierre would have to close shop sooner rather than later, and began the trek back. 

Back at her house, Lauren did what she could to make the dog comfortable and set to work heating her own dinner up over the fire. After she ate, she wasted the rest of her evening playing with Copernicus– their play time coming to an end when a yawn left him and he stumbled into her lap. Tired herself, she sluggishly set up a makeshift bed on the floor beside her own. “You’re sleeping on the floor,” Lauren firmly told him, the hard facade melting as he curled up happily in the mess of blankets. “Just don’t get too comfortable, okay? We’re gonna find your home, soon.”

* * *

A soft whimper pulled Lauren from her sleep, her eyes bleary as she looked over the dark room. The sound grabbed her attention again, bringing her eyes to the crying bundle of fur on her floor. She sighed, leaning over to run a hand over Copernicus’ flank before sliding her hand under him and bringing him up into the sheets. “Just tonight,” she murmured, bringing him tightly against her stomach. Her eyes slid shut once the whimpering had stopped, sleep digging its claws into her once more.

Outside, an eerie moan caught her attention. She shifted, taking a blurry glance out the window. A large shadow loomed outside, blocking the normal view she’d have of her fields. Her head fell back to her pillow and she groaned. 

_Look again_.

The voice in her head encouraged her to sit up, her hand rubbing her eyes when the shadow that was there moments ago was gone. The sight of her field illuminated by the moon, showing her everything completely untouched. Her heart rate grew stronger when she lowered herself back down onto the mattress, her hand clutching the front of her shirt as she tried to calm herself. There was nothing there. No one was outside her house. She would be _fine._ Sleep won out, swallowing her whole.

When morning came, the memory was nothing more than a dream-like enchantment. One that she easily brushed off as her mind playing tricks on her, left in the dust of memories she’d like to forget.


	5. Predator of the Woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! this chapter took forever to write, rewrite, and edit but I wanted to thank you for being patient with me!! :) before you do read this, be warned that this chapter does have some suspense and a bit of a creepy aspect. Nothing bad happens but it does tie in with the mystery shadow in the window from the last chapter. 
> 
> I also wanted to give you guys an update on my hand: it's healed very quickly and surprised myself and my housemates. It's still sore but I'm able to write more fluidly again on top of play stardew on my pc now.

The familiar sound of the saloon’s jukebox hummed through an open window, telling Sebastian that Gus was preparing for the rowdy crowd he’d see tonight. Friday’s were always good business for the local chef, many of his customers coming for the drinks and staying for the meals. Though, now that it was spring, business would soon be slowing down; with lower prices of meat and warmer weather, the townsfolk would be able to start barbecuing and cooking for their families at a reasonable price.

Sebastian let out a long sigh, smoke replacing his breath as he adjusted his position on the barrel just outside the saloon. It was normal for him to be the first of his friends to arrive even though he lived the furthest away by far, so when he ended up waiting for their arrival, he didn’t _truly_ mind. He supposed it also helped that he could schedule his own work hours and give himself Friday and Saturday off, leaving him with a skewed weekend and too much time to kill. Now, he had a designated smoking spot outside _The Stardrop Saloon_ , where he could easily wait for Sam, who would share news about his most recent conquest (whether it was a song or a dream-like crush on a woman, Sebastian never really knew), and then Abigail, who rolled in after helping her dad restock.

So when Abigail showed before Sam did, Sebastian found himself nearly as confused as her. “Where’s Sam at?” she asked when she came within earshot of Sebastian. He casted a lazy glance past her and shrugged when he didn’t see their lost friend.

“Dunno,” he said, bringing his cigarette to his lips. Abigail frowned and looked behind herself, her face of confusion staying as she brought herself against Sebastian’s side. He easily draped an arm around her waist and brought her closer, offering her his cigarette. Her nose scrunched up but she accepted and took a small puff that wracked her body with coughs. Sebastian shook his head and took his cigarette back, biting the butt end so he could move Abigail to stand in front of him. His hand smoothed over her back to help alleviate the coughing fit that stole her breath. “Stop taking it if you can’t handle it,” he teased.

Abigail twisted around once her fit ended and began to prod at Sebastian’s chest, speaking vividly about how he needed to mind his own business. Much of what she said to him, however, went unheard. Movement from the corner of his eye had caught his attention, his eyes locking onto the slumped form of Shane. Out of reflex, Sebastian’s hand came to Abigail’s lower back and brought her closer, wanting to keep her safe from the drunk’s fury. She continued to drone on, not noticing the touch nor the fact he wasn’t listening– at least not until Shane had disappeared through the saloon’s doors and Sebastian snapped his attention back to Abigail. She paused, her lip curling out in a pout. “You didn’t hear any of that, did you?” Sebastian smiled sheepishly and murmured out a ‘sorry’ that was met with Abigail’s palm pushing into his shoulder. 

She brought her arms over Sebastian’s shoulders and sighed longingly, her gaze softening. Sebastian slid his hand from her back to her hip, glancing between them. He knew what their relationship looked like to outside eyes; the voices in town telling him again and again. Yet, it didn’t feel that way to him, relaxing in her arms and under her gaze– touching her the way he did. Sebastian had never _cared_ to feel that way about Abigail, either. Still, being this close together at times twisted the cogs in Sebastian’s mind, telling him that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He never let it carry further than that, his eyes coming back to Abigail’s.

“Sebastian, you’ll be the death of me one day,” she sighed.

“That’s only if you don’t kill me first, Abby,” he told her. She laughed and dropped her forehead onto his shoulder. Sebastian brought her into a tight embrace, finding it broken when they heard frantic footfalls on loose stone. There came Sam, panting as he came to a stop beside his friends. His hands balanced on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, deep inhales providing no comfort for the blond boy’s aching lungs.

“Hey guys,” he gasped, looking up at them with a pained expression. “Sorry about the wait. Vincent wanted to play another round of this game and we…” he trailed off and shook his head. Sam straightened, his hand clutching his chest as he forced another breath in and picked up where he left off. “We lost track of time.”

Abigail broke further away from Sebastian, letting him slide off the barrel and drop his cigarette where it met the bottom of his boot. Once Sam caught his breath, the three of them headed into the saloon where Abigail broke away to order herself some food and trade her money around for quarters. Sebastian and Sam wandered into the ‘arcade’, if it really _could_ be called that, and began to set up their usual game of pool. After three rounds of rock, paper, scissors, Sam won the right to break and Sebastian sat back to watch his friend sloppily take aim.

They were three turns into the game when Abigail slinked in, her hands juggling her meal and an obscene amount of quarters. Sam looked up from his cue at Abigail, his ears tinged red as he opened his mouth. “So when’s Lauren getting in?” he asked, trying to sound casual but coming off desperate. His next shot missed entirely, the sound of his cue stick bouncing off the border of the table ringing through the back room. 

Abigail shot a glare in Sam’s direction and turned to Sebastian, waving her hand between the two of them. “Can _you_ tell him that it’s not happening?” Though Abigail sounded frustrated, her question was followed by a laugh, her hand coming up to her mouth. Sebastian grinned as he circled the table to ready his shot.

“You know she’s right, Sam,” Sebastian agreed. “The city girls aren’t interested in your _drawl_.” 

It was no surprise that Sam had taken a liking to Lauren so quickly– his heart belonging to any girl who would give him the time of day. And most of the time, that girl was the new one, Sebastian shaking his head as he thought of Leah. At least now Abigail and himself would be able to warn Lauren.

* * *

When Lauren finally arrived at the saloon, it was nearly forty minutes after Sam, Sebastian, and Abigail had. The boys had long forgotten about her arrival all together, not wanting to tell Abigail that she’d probably bailed while Abigail busied herself with her Tamagotchi. The farmer, however, found her gaze meeting Shane’s when she stepped into the bar. Gus’ greeting rang through the bar loudly, yet Lauren barely heard it, enthralled by how Shane admired her from his seat. 

She’d dressed up tonight, a white dress clinging tightly to her hips and accentuating all her other curves in just the right way. His eyes lingered on her waist as she carried herself towards him, her voice sounding as she returned Gus’ greeting. The barkeep took her order and without missing a beat, moved on to help another customer. Lauren took a final look around the bar before her eyes settled on Shane, his heart drumming loudly in his chest. “Hey,” she murmured, the sound of rowdy laughter distracting her.

Shane reached out to her, his hand landing on the small of her back to bring her attention back to him. “Hey yourself,” he managed. Even though he already had a few drinks in his system, Shane still found himself feeling nervous. More so when she sat, her leggings crossing over each other as she leaned forward on her elbow.

“How’s your day been?” she asked. Shane chortled quietly and brought his drink to his lips, a wicked smile forming as he took a drink. He was certain she had plans elsewhere– and still, she sat with _him_. 

“Same shit, new day,” he told her, looking down at the counter. Shane never cared to talk about his day with anyone; unable to admit to himself nor his friends and family that his dependency on alcohol was beginning to consume him. He rolled a few words around in his head, thinking of any way to pull the attention away from himself and turned back to Lauren. “Though, I’m sure your day was better than mine.”

She shrugged and began to explain how she’d been working out the layouts for a future coop, preparing to have it built (hopefully) by summer. Her enthusiasm grew as she began talking about the day before, gesticulating wildly in front of herself as she explained a series of unfortunate events that resulted in her fostering a lost puppy. Shane listened happily, his cheek resting in his palm and his body facing hers. His interest only encouraged her, her voice falling as she realized she’d been rambling on for several minutes. “Anyway… I’ve been calling him Copernicus– I just hope I find his home soon,” she sighed, drawing a circle bashfully with her finger on the countertop.

Shane leaned forward when she fell quiet, his fingers timidly finding a strand of hair that had fallen into her face and brushing it behind her ear. His voice was soft, almost sensual as he spoke. “I dunno… Sounds like a pretty lucky dog.”

His touch had a physical effect on Lauren, her cheeks growing pink as her teeth dug into her bottom lip and her gaze flitted around the tavern nervously, coming to rest on his with a shy smile. Shane’s fingers fell from her hair to the front of her jacket, his finger and thumb grazing over the metal teeth of the denim jacket that hid the rest of her body. He realized that the touch was inappropriate and cleared his throat, his hand retreating to his lap. Lauren swallowed, her hand brushing down the length of her zipper, her eyes becoming curious as she studied him. “What’re your plans for the night?” she asked.

Shane shrugged, his hand coming to the top of his head as he turned to find his drink. “Nuthin’ really, but tomorrow– gonna spend the day with my niece.”

“You have a niece?”

He nodded, reaching into his pocket to pull his wallet free. She watched as he shuffled through aged bills and cards, his fingers catching a greyed photo. Shane showed the picture to her, the glossy paper showing her a young girl with dark locks. He let her take the photo, his wallet landing beside his drink.

“How old is she?”

“In the picture? Five,” he murmured, his finger pad tracing over the curved lip of his drinking glass. “Now she’s a little over eight.”

Lauren studied the photo a while longer before carefully setting it on his wallet, her hand falling to his thigh. “Maybe we could make plans sometime– lunch or something,” she offered. Shane looked over to her, gauging the sincerity in the suggestion before he let his hand engulf hers. He wet his bottom lips and dared himself to move his hand down, his fingers brushing over the smooth skin of her knee. Shane knew it was inappropriate to touch her this way, but he didn’t care; she wasn’t rejecting his advances. He was about to agree to the proposition when their conversation was interrupted by a hand falling on her shoulder.

She jumped, her hand retreating to her shoulder where the foreign weight had appeared. The hand was incredibly cold, drawing her attention up to where Sebastian loomed over her. The weight of his hand was joined by the pressure of his chest, warm in comparison to his fingers. He didn’t seem bothered to enter her personal space, barely acknowledging her as he leaned further into her and waved down Gus. Lauren found herself breathing in his scent, overwhelming with his immediate proximity. His minty breath mixed with the strong smell of cigarette smoke that clung to his clothes and… she couldn’t put her finger on it, forgetting her words as he gave the barkeep his order. Gus happily obliged and apologized to Lauren for the long wait before turning on his heel to sort his grills. Sebastian didn’t say anything as he rocked back on his heels, moving away from Lauren while leaving his hand on her shoulder.

Beside her, Shane had a hard scowl, his game thrown off by the same man who had rescued her just a week prior. Then again, he supposed it made sense. Sebastian ignored the glare from Shane and let his eyes fall to Lauren who found herself at a loss for words. “Glad to see you could make it,” he murmured. Lauren bit her lip as her chest panged with guilt– she’d entirely forgotten why she had come to the saloon in the first place, her eyes travelling past Sebastian to where she saw Abigail laughing hysterically with Sam. Sebastian regained her attention, a crooked smile forming as if he knew exactly why she’d forgotten. His fingers squeezed her shoulder and he let out a breath. “You think you could take my drink back to the table?” he asked, looking over his shoulder to Abigail. “I’m gonna go have a smoke.”

Lauren nodded, her voice caught in her throat as Sebastian began to walk away, his hand only leaving her shoulder when he’d put enough distance between them. Her heart was throbbing rapidly, her mind dazed by what had just happened. The interruption had left an uncomfortable lull between her and Shane, her legs crossing as she basked with baited breath in the silence of their broken conversation. Surely there was a reason Sebastian had come to her; had touched her the way he did with such casual grace.

Shane found himself swimming in his drink, his finger exploring the rigid glass as he watched Lauren through his lashes. He silently cursed Sebastian, turning to Lauren as he thought of anyway to break the silence. His eyes landed on her collarbones, his hand moving on its own accord as it curiously dragged over her skin. Her skin was not his goal, however, his fingertips finding the dainty tempered chain that adorned her neck and following it down to the crested charm that rested just above her breasts. Shane could feel her heart pounding, her cheeks red as he leaned towards her.

“I er… wanted to compliment this the other day, but…” his sentence fell. Shane wasn’t ready to admit to Lauren that being sober around her was more nerve wracking than being intoxicated. As Shane’s finger dipped below the charm, taunting her with a gentle touch following the curve of her breasts, Gus returned with her drink. The barkeep’s work was beginning to slow, his customers getting their meals at a steady pace now. A near silent ‘thank you’ left Lauren as she took her drink, bringing it to her lips to help calm her nerves. Shane ran his thumb over the charm, his finger pad slipping away from the metal to meet her skin one last time before his hand fell away.

His thumb met his teeth and his eyes stayed fixated on the charm– or her breasts. Lauren wasn’t sure. She only knew that her heart raced on, threatening to jump out of her chest as she admired Shane and his bashful expression. A thought creeped up on her, her eyes falling down Shane’s torso and stopping before she could get too far. Was she really considering bringing him home? His gaze was enticing, Lauren wanting him to look at her that way for the rest of the night. Then, she questioned herself again: did a small town like this even _have_ hookup culture? Lauren bit her tongue and forced the thoughts to leave her mind. “My grandma gave it to me.”

Shane’s eyes snapped to hers, a smile spreading over his lips as he pulled his thumb from his teeth and grabbed his drink. “Maybe we’ll have to see what Jas thinks of it…” he said slowly, taking a drink from his glass before continuing. “Or, maybe your grandma could give me some pointers.”

There was an innocence in the statement that told Lauren that _sex_ was the _last_ thing on Shane’s mind, making it easier for her to further smother her previous thoughts. Besides, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. She didn’t come here to find herself in another failing relationship– she was here to work. “You think about getting her jewelry?”

Shane chuckled at the question and shrugged, turning away from her. “Anything, really,” he confided. His teeth dug into his lip and a sigh left him, the mood somber. “I just want to make her happy, y’know? She deserves the world.” Before Lauren could respond, Gus placed Sebastian’s drink alongside hers, a frothy beer tankard. Shane examined the drink and wet his lips, casting a final glance at Lauren. “I won’t keep you,” he murmured, pawing at the air to silently shoo her. “Go enjoy your night, Lauren.”

“Stay safe, Shane,” she returned, gingerly lifting both her glass and Sebastian’s. She was reluctant to leave Shane, worry filling her as she thought of the first time she’d met him– just how _drunk_ he’d been. Yet, she found herself swiftly falling into her steps, her feeting carrying her to where Abigail was lounging across a worn sofa. Lauren’s arrival caught Abigail’s attention, her lip jutting out dramatically as Lauren set the beverages down beside a tray of forgotten fries. 

“Took you long enough,” Abigail groaned, dropping her feet from the cushions to make room for Lauren. She sat and let out a soft exhale, the cushioned seating here much better than the barstools. Across the room, Sam was examining the drinks with a playful smirk.

“Don’t tell me cityfolk _actually_ double fist their drinks,” he jested, gesturing to the drinks with his pool cue. Abigail flinched, swatting towards Sam who sheepishly lowered the pool cue and waited for Lauren who could only scoff.

“Well, _yeah,_ ” she said with a poker face. “But before you ask, _no_ , I’m not doing that tonight– it’s Sebastian’s. He went out for a smoke, though.”

Sam and Abigail fell silent, a shared bewildered look telling Lauren that what she said had caught them off guard. She looked between the two of them, expecting an explanation. Sam could only shrug, turning his attention to the pool table. He closed one eye and aimed his cue stick at the cue ball, sloppily hitting the white billiard into the cushioned railing. He huffed and looked back to Lauren, his elbow landing on the surface of the table to support him as he leaned into it. “I mean… Seb doesn’t really drink, but…” he grinned at Lauren and waggled his eyebrows at her. “Maybe tonight’ll be interesting after all.”

Lauren frowned as she stared at the tankard, embarrassed for having Abigail and Sam call their friend into question. She thought of how he’d leaned into her, interrupting her and Shane’s conversation. Had he been jealous? She waved the thought away and took her drink into her hands, pondering the different possibilities. It wasn’t much longer before Sebastian returned, busying himself with chalking his pool cue.

“Alright, Sam. Let’s do this,” he laughed, studying the table almost as intensely as a chess master studying their board.

“I _almost_ don’t want to– it’s the same thing every time.”

“You and I both know that it’s not _my_ fault you’re this bad at pool but insist on playing,” Sebastian retorted, pocketing a billiard and missing his next shot. Sam scowled and shook his head, grumbling about how Sebastian didn’t need to take it easy on him. The two quietly bickered as their game picked up speed, their voices keeping Lauren’s attention. Well… Their voices gave her an excuse to watch Sebastian as he lapped the table with Sam. There had to be a hidden motive.

She cleared her throat and leaned forward, balancing her drink on her knee as she called out. “Sebastian–” she felt a lump form in her throat, Sebastian pocketing another billiard. Lauren swallowed and let out a sigh. “Your drink is here when you’re ready.”

One… then another billiard was pocketed before he looked at Lauren, puzzled. He watched as she gestured to the beer and he blinked. Sebastian furrowed his brows, turned back to the table and swiftly sank a fourth that left Sam bristling, then took a step back. “ _Right_ …” he sighed, coming towards his drink. He leaned on the butt of his cue stick as he reached for the tankard and raised it to Lauren. “Thanks.”

She squinted at him when his eyes landed on Abigail who shrugged innocently, and watched as he carried it to the pool table. He cautiously brought the drink to his nose and shuddered as he smelled the overpowering alcohol. Sam groaned, spurting Sebastian on to find a safe place against the wall for his drink where it sat untouched for the rest of the evening.

* * *

Lauren ended up spending several hours at the bar with the group, falling easily in line with the banter and getting a pretty good score in Journey of the Prairie King (at least, that’s what Abigail had said). When closing time rolled around, the group moved their activities outside to get out of the way of Gus who worked diligently and tirelessly to clean up after his patrons. Outside, Abigail was teasing Sam over his poor game tonight. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you play _that_ bad before,” she snorted, the back of her hand gently meeting the blond’s shoulder.

He drooped at the comment, his pout quickly being replaced with a mischievous glare that resulted in Abigail being pulled into a playful headlock. “I might suck at pool, but I’ll always have a better score in JPK than you!” The two of them tussled, putting some distance between Lauren and Sebastian to keep a rogue fist from lashing out in friendly fire. Sebastian took a drag from his cigarette, watching as his friends made fools of themselves. His stance was relaxed, his elbow propped on the barrel rather than using it as his seating.

Lauren picked nervously at her jacket, wanting to ask about what had happened tonight. “Was the beer not to your liking?” she asked, hoping the question would guide her to the answers she wanted. Sebastian frowned when Abigail’s laughter almost drowned Lauren’s voice out, his attention fully on her. He tilted his head and brought his cigarette to his lips as he straightened himself, a sigh of smoke illuminated by the saloon’s light swirling from his nostrils.

“Nah.”

Sebastian didn’t bother to pussyfoot around his answer, his gaze returning to Abigail and Sam who were slowly making their way back towards him and Lauren. They were bickering now about something that Lauren hadn’t caught, her mind wrapping around different conspiracies of what _exactly_ Sebastian had been doing when he ordered his drink– a drink he didn’t even _like_. How he’d touched her, leaning into her like he’d known her for years. Then again, Shane had been touching her, too, and she hadn’t thought twice of it. 

“Hey, we’ll catch you guys later,” Abigail’s voice broke through Lauren’s thoughts, scattering them as she forced herself to smile and say farewell to her new friends. She and Sebastian stayed where they were, watching Abigail and Sam share a friendly hug at the end of the cobbled path and went their separate ways. Alone with Sebastian, there were now a million questions buzzing through Lauren’s mind, none of which she’d have an answer for by tonight. She shifted her weight and brought her arms around herself. She would definitely not get answers tonight.

“See you later,” Lauren sighed, preparing for the dark march through the woods to get home.

“Let me walk you home,” Sebastian offered, his proposition throwing her off. Lauren wasn’t given the choice to refuse, Sebastian falling in line with her. He had to slow himself to keep from outpacing her, his legs much longer than her own.

The two of them were quiet as they walked, Lauren taking the opportunity to lose herself in her thoughts and conspire about the night while Sebastian puffed tirelessly on his cigarette. It wasn’t until they reached the outskirts of town that Sebastian casted a wary glance at Lauren and brought his thumb nail to his teeth. “Sorry about tonight.” His voice was husky, better heard with fewer company.

Lauren’s step faltered, the apology seemingly out of the blue. She corrected her footing and tried again to match Sebastian’s pace. “Sorry for what?” she asked, giving him a weak smile. “I had a good time tonight.” The sentiment behind her statement was true, Sam’s voice echoing in her head as he threatened to break Sebastian in half a third time. It was the demeanor in which he’d said it that sent her and Abigail into a fit of laughter.

Beside her, Sebastian shrugged and brought her back to the present. His hands slid into the pocket of his hoodie, his cigarette hanging from his lips. “It’s more for Abby,” he explained, watching his feet as he walked. “She saw you with Shane and with what happened last week…” He sighed, his breath a swirling mist that clung to the remnants of his cigarette’s smoke.

 _Oh_ . Lauren could feel her cheeks grow hot– of course Sebastian wasn’t jealous of her and Shane spending time with each other; he barely knew her and likely didn’t care to know more about her, _especially_ if he knew how shallow she’d been. Instead of jealousy, he reflected Abigail’s concern for Lauren’s safety. A favor you ask a friend who would go out of their way for you. “Thanks, I guess,” Lauren whispered, her hand rubbing her arm sheepishly. “But… you guys don’t have to worry about me like that. Besides, Shane and I– we’re sort of friends now.”

Sebastian pulled his cigarette from his lips and stole a glance at Lauren. “ _Right_ ,” he hummed. He sounded almost smug, but something else tugged at his voice. Maybe there was something that he saw that she didn’t, but whatever it was, she didn’t allow herself to linger on the idea; she didn’t want to embarrass herself anymore than she had tonight. Besides, she knew herself that Shane could be friendly and was rather harmless. _Well…_ That thought was debatable.

Lauren spoke, needing to bring her mind away from the image of Shane, belligerent and angry and Sebastian listened, not seeming to mind the thoughtless rambling about her farm. “I was thinking about getting started on setting up for a coop– chickens, y’know? But I can’t decide if I want cows before chickens. _But_ if I get cows, do I have to get a livestock guardian? How big would it need to be?” she paused and bit her lip, thinking before she continued. “Because aren’t there like… _big_ predators out here?”

Her question seemed to strike a chord with Sebastian, his step faltering as he slowed. “We get wolves,” he said, looking out to the surrounding woods. Lauren could feel a chill crawl up her back, gooseflesh forming on her skin. His words, though innocent, were more unsettling than they should’ve been, creating an eerie atmosphere that grew when Sebastian finished his thought. “But it’s probably not the wolves you have to worry about.”

Lauren found herself coming to a halt, her brows knitting together as she felt her heart begin to race. Sebastian paced ahead of her, only stopping when he noticed she was no longer beside him. He turned back to her, shifting his weight as he dropped his cigarette and replaced it with a new one. Being still didn’t seem to bother him, yet the toe of his shoe was digging into the ground almost anxiously. There was something about the situation that rubbed Lauren the wrong way, and her fear seeped into her voice. “What do you mean it’s not the _wolves_ I have to worry about?”

As the question left her, the dream-like memory of the dark shadow in front of her window last night came to mind. It was big enough to block her entire window, keeping her from seeing her land and _still_ , she had brushed it off as a particularly confusing dream… Yet it felt so real. While he didn’t know about the phantom-esque shadow, she couldn’t help but wonder what he’d seen. Was he about to tell her that what she saw _wasn’t_ all in her head? That something really _had_ been standing in front of her window? She hadn’t moved from the city with the pretense that the wildlife here was more fairytale than truth– she knew of the dangers cityfolk rumored to have seen during their summer camping trips. The only question was _what_ _was it_?

Sebastian looked again to the treeline, smoke filling the space in front of him. He raked his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh. “I don’t exactly know, Lauren. It’s just… _things_. But the animals here are smart enough to get inside before dark, so whatever they are…”

She felt nauseous, her heart refusing to slow as she turned to look for whatever had caught Sebastian’s attention. Since they’d stopped moving, she noticed that the woods had grown silent, the crickets and frogs she’d heard just moments before– gone. The sinister atmosphere seemed to grow tenfold, her skin crawling as she felt something watching her from the trees. Every fiber in her body told her they needed to leave, screaming at her to not look at the prying eyes. And she knew better. Lauren remembered the old stories her grandmother used to tell her, warnings of the woods and what resided inside of them. Lore always had _some_ truth behind the meaning. Her feet were no longer her own, her legs carrying her forward to escape whatever lay in the brush. Before she could pass Sebastian, his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against him to still her. He brought both his fingers to his lips and bit the end of his cigarette so he could point to what he’d been looking so intently at.

Her grandmother’s voice sounded in her head, warning her. _And whatever you do, don’t look. You never know what you’ll find staring back at you._

She squeezed her eyes shut and let out an unsteady breath, counting in her head. She was _safe_ – her grandmother’s stories weren’t real. On three, Lauren’s eyes opened and she was certain that Sebastian had been fucking with her. Then, through the tree’s dark canopy, she saw it. Watching them as closely as Sebastian had been watching it, was a deer, its ears angling back in annoyance. Lauren felt her body physically relax into Sebastian, embarrassed that she’d gotten so worked up over a _deer_.

“ _Sebastian_ ,” she groaned, swatting at him. Lauren’s fear had been subdued and Sebastian’s chuckle rumbled in his chest against her back. He grinned crookedly at her and let his hand fall away from her, knowing exactly what he’d done. She had one more question, however, and twisted around to look at him as he pulled his cigarette from his mouth. Lauren felt silly asking the question, but she wanted to know. “Is that why it’s so quiet?”

Sebastian’s smile disappeared as she asked and the mood again became somber. His eyes had found their way back to the deer’s shadow, his voice low as he articulated his answer. “No, no. There’s something else out there, too. Way scarier than a deer.” The cigarette returned to his lips, illuminating his skin with a red glow. Lauren could feel the chill from earlier returning, hating Sebastian in that moment for creating a wicked atmosphere that would make her scared for days to come. Then the thought of the shadow niggled at the back of her mind again.

“I think I’m ready to go home…”

He let out a sigh, smoke swirling past Lauren as a playful smirk danced on his lips. He gestured for her to come and began to walk, teasing her as he did. “What, you don’t want to know what it is?”

“ _Not_ if it’s gonna kill me,” she muttered, trailing behind him. He snorted and looked over his shoulder to her. Lauren had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her eyes nervously examining the treeline. Sebastian softened, shrugging to himself as he looked back to his feet.

“I guess I’ll just tell you next time, then.”

Though she was scared, Lauren felt her heart drop– she _did_ want to know. His build up to create a suspenseful atmosphere had kept her on a hook, wanting more, much like a child sitting by a fire listening to a series of scary stories. “W-wait, no!” Her steps became hurried and she easily closed the distance between them, her hand wrapping around his bicep. Her voice dropped to a whisper, the embarrassment of acting like a child, too curious for their own good, almost silencing her. “What is it?”

Sebastian slowed himself, and in turn Lauren, until they both came to a stop, his eyes dropping to where Lauren was holding onto him. He turned to face her, his hands finding either of her shoulders and he bent at the hip so he could give her the answer. Lauren shuddered when she felt his hot breath on her ear, the suspense killing her. When he finally spoke, his voice was a tantalizingly husky whisper, telling her what she wanted to know– why the danger in the woods was. “It’s us.”

Lauren again felt flustered, her cheeks warm as Sebastian straightened and took a final drag from his cigarette, his eyes falling shut as he turned away from her to discard what was left. She groaned, her hands moving on their own accord now that the fear had left her entirely. Sebastian let out a low laugh as she playfully shoved him, quickly regaining his balance. “Stop scaring me like that!” she scolded him, her hand hitting her forehead.

He returned to her side, his hand landing on her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. “Look,” he started, “there _are_ things to worry about out here, but not if you’re in a group,” he told her, his humor fading. “ _Here_.” His hand fell to her waist and he turned her to face the woods, standing behind her as he held her still. “Stay quiet.”

“What, _another_ deer?” Lauren asked, turning to scowl at him.

He quieted her with a gentle _shhh_ and refaced her towards the woods. Several minutes passed before he sighed with satisfaction and raised his hand in front of her. The crickets and frogs had returned, the quiet symphony growing louder as the creatures passed their message of safety to each other. “We’re the predators out here,” he whispered, his voice loud in Lauren’s ear. She felt her legs tremble, his voice almost alluring. “They’ll probably stop again because no one uses this road anymore, but…” he trailed off and shrugged, putting space between them again as he finished his thought. “Nothing scary.” Lauren let out a sigh of relief, thankful that Sebastian had finally stopped building a false sense of fear and dread in her. 

Without Sebastian’s touch, she felt cold, regretting her attire for the night. He’d already started walking, his steps deliberately slow as he waited for Lauren to join him. She wrapped her arms around herself and fell in line with him, the two of them enjoying the sounds of the wildlife around them. On occasion, an owl would join in, contributing several _hoots_ that echoed through the trees.

It didn’t take long for her farm to come into view, Copernicus waiting patiently on the porch for her arrival. He’d been tied up outside with over thirty yards to his name, so to see him on the porch calmed her. As they grew closer, Sebastian’s pace had slowed, his hands crammed in the pockets of his jeans as Lauren crossed her driveway to where the dog was stretching. He watched as she pressed a tender kiss to his head and unleashed him to put him inside, her hand grabbing the column that supported her awning as she turned to Sebastian. “Thank you… for walking me home,” she sighed. She grinned and looked down to her feet, her cheeks pink from embarrassment. “And for protecting me from the killer deer.”

Sebastian snorted at her joke, his head dropping as he tried to stifle his laughter. When he looked back to her, she noticed how exhausted he looked, his eyes hooded from the weight of needing sleep. “It’s not a problem,” he assured her, dragging his foot over the gravel. She bit her lip, tearing her eyes away from Sebastian so she could push her door open to let Copernicus into the cabin. The dog happily stepped in, glancing back to Lauren who opened the door further to let herself in. “Lauren…” Sebastian’s voice called her attention.

“Yeah?” He wasn’t looking at her, his gaze fixated on her fields. Lauren followed his line of sight, curious to what he was looking at. 

Lauren’s blood ran cold when she saw it. Something tall was slinking stiffly along the edge of the small and untamed forest. It was humanoid in shape, yet there was something entirely animalistic about it. The _thing_ stopped, as if knowing it was being watched, and swung its large head around. Bright green eyes glowed in the dark, landing on her and Sebastian. She was frozen in place, watching with awe filled horror as it lowered itself onto four legs and turned its attention to the ground in front of itself. Lauren swore she could hear it suck in a breath, smelling the ground that she and Alex had trampled over again and again just the day before. On all fours, it moved much more swiftly, disappearing from view as Sebastian spoke.

“I wasn’t lying about what I said earlier,” he said, his jaw clenched tightly. He never tore his eyes away from where the creature had been. When the green glow of its eyes came from the treeline, a visible shudder wracked through his body. “Just be careful, okay?”

Lauren’s mouth opened and the words spilled out before she could stop them, “Do you want to stay over tonight?” She knew it was forward, but she didn’t care. The thought of Sebastian walking home in the dark when something like _that_ was exploring… No… Not exploring– _hunting_. The thought worried her. Sebastian looked back to her, his eyes wide as he quietly repeated the question to himself. She hadn’t meant to catch him off guard, her cheeks growing hot as she realized what her offer sounded like. Lauren did her best to correct the un-implied meaning. “I don’t want you getting hurt because you walked me home…”

Sebastian cleared his throat in discomfort and shook his head, raising a hand from his pocket. “I’ll be fine,” he assured her. He adjusted how his hoodie sat on his torso and took a step back towards the creature. “There’s a shortcut off your farm that’ll take me to the house. I’ll be alright.”

Lauren chewed on the inside of her cheek and nodded in defeated understanding, watching Sebastian closely as he waved farewell and disappeared into the cloak of darkness. With him gone, the eerie and cold feeling washed over her again and she looked back to where the creature had disappeared, its glowing green eyes meeting hers. Panic came over her as words that were not her own filled her head.

_You’re next, Lauren._

She didn’t wait outside any longer, pushing into her cabin and quickly deadbolting the door. She fell into her normal routine, trying to calm herself as she got ready for bed. Lauren didn’t feel safe, however, until she’d made sure every window was locked. Copernicus watched her curiously as she paced around the room, finding himself positioned by the door– almost as if he were guarding the entrance. 

It wasn’t until she crawled into bed, the lights off and the fire crackling, that her fear began to subside. A small part of Lauren was mad at Sebastian for opening his mouth, the entire walk home being a rush of adrenaline until she knew that not all his words had been said to mess with her. The rest of her, however, was relieved to know– because as long as she knew what was out there, she would be able to prepare for the worst that had yet to come. 


End file.
